Jafflz is something special: a light meal or a snack of wonderful texture and flavor. The popular Australian and South African grilled sandwich was launched in the U.S. by Cape Town native, Chef Meryl van der Merwe, creator of Jafflz.

We can’t thank her enough!

If you’re a QVC watcher, you may have caught Jafflz. We came across the brand by accident, and are so happy we ordered them. In these challenging times, they’re a ray of sunshine.

WHAT ARE JAFFLZ?

Jaffles are toasted sandwiches in the manner of panini. The originals, invented in Australia (see the history of jaffles below) were round pockets.

Today, the concept has evolved. Some sandwiches called jaffles have open sides like conventional sandwiches; others are closed pockets like an empanada or turnover…or round, closed Jaffles (photos #1 to #5).

Jafflz brand creates tasty round sandwich pockets, with wheat bread and different fillings. The design on the bread, concentric circles, is pleasing as well.

Perfect for breakfast or lunch, we’ve also served them as a light dinner, with a salad and a glass of wine.

Made with ingredients beloved by all, the all-natural pockets can be grab-and-go or serve at the table.

Current flavors include meat, vegetarian and vegan options:

Cheese Pizza Toasted Pocket (vegetarian—photo #1)

Enchilada Toasted Pocket (poultry—photo #2)

Ham, Egg and Cheese Toasted Pocket (meat)

Indian Curry Toasted Pocket (vegan)

Mac ‘N’ Cheese Toasted Pocket (vegetarian—photo #3)

Sloppy Joe Toasted Pocket Toasted Pocket (meat—photo #3)

They’re also neat eating: The crust is firm, doesn’t crack, and nothing dribbles out of the Jafflz as you eat it.

Jafflz arrive frozen, and are heated in the microwave or on the stovetop. They’re ready in three minutes from the freezer, or one minute thawed in the fridge.

The result is warm, fragrant and delicious, fun and fanciful. And so much better than fast food or other grab-and-go.

A device to make the toasted sandwich was patented in its current round form in 1949, in a suburb of Sydney, Australia. Dr. Earnest Smithers also named the toasted sandwich jaffles—perhaps because it sounded like waffle?

He modeled his “jaffle iron” on the medieval waffle iron. In pre-stove, pre-electricity times, hand-held device with hinged iron plates and a long handle made waffles by holding the waffle iron over the fire (the history of waffles).

Instead of turning out waffles with the familiar beehive pattern, the jaffles iron pressed together the edges of two slices of bread, which contained a hot filling inside.

Jaffles became a craze by the early 1950s. Every household wanted a jaffles iron, and it was subsequently made in both single and double models.

It was great for camping, too, since the jaffle iron could be held over a campfire. Jaffles were also trendy enough to be used for entertaining.

Similar devices were available in the U.S. as early as the 1920s, called pie irons, pudgy pie irons or tonka toasters. They are still found at retail in the U.S., used for outdoor cooking.

In the early 1970s, an electric sandwich maker was created in Belgium. At first an Australian company, Breville, distributed them, but they soon developed its own toasted sandwich maker (think panini press).

The Breville Snack & Sandwich Maker became a huge success in Australia and the U.K., to the point where, in many places, a jaffle is called a “Breville”.

We hope that jaffles will emerge as a new sandwich type in the U.S. Anyone who tastes Jafflz brand Jafflz will want a steady supply.